NBN fibre rollout goes into high gear in the Northern Territory::

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced 65,200 Northern Territory homes and businesses will have access to National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre services under NBN Co’s first three year fibre rollout plan.

NT Highlights

• 65,200 homes and businesses in the three year NBN rollout

• Construction to begin between 1 April 2012 and 30 June 2015

• NBN fibre is already under construction to 14,200 NT premises

The indicative three year rollout plan lists the Northern Territory locations where construction of the national fibre network will begin between 1 April 2012 and 30 June 2015.

Under the three year rollout plan, construction of the Northern Territory fibre network will begin in 23 NBN Fibre Serving Areas Modules (FSAM)—each containing about 3000 homes and businesses.

“That means the NBN rollout is about to go into high gear,” Senator Conroy said.

“In the next three years, 65,200 homes and businesses in the Northern Territory will be on the way to having, or will already have, access to NBN fibre services.”

The fibre rollout is currently under construction to 14,200 premises in the Northern Territory.

The NBN will deliver high-speed fibre broadband access to 93 per cent of homes and businesses, capable of speeds of up to one gigabit per second. Seven per cent will have access to high-speed fixed wireless or next-generation satellite technologies providing peak speeds of 12 megabits per second.

The NBN is critical infrastructure that will secure the economic future of those living in the Northern Territory and across Australia, and will support Australia becoming a leading digital economy by 2020, with improved online access to health and aged care, education, and access to government services.

“The NBN will also support a new wave of digital innovation that will change the way Australians live, do business, receive services and connect with the world,” Senator Conroy said.

“The NBN will enhance the lives of every Australian, grow productivity, and maintain our global competitiveness. It will provide regional Australia in particular with unprecedented opportunities for businesses to connect to distant markets both here and overseas.

“As I’ve said before, it is important to understand the NBN is more than just faster downloads. The NBN is the platform on which businesses will develop better and more efficient ways of running their enterprises and improving productivity.”

NBN Co, the company building and operating the NBN, released its first 12-month rollout schedule in October 2011. That schedule, updated for the first time in February 2012, will be updated quarterly.